2012 Criterium du Dauphine Stage Race Preview Guide.

2012 Criterium du Dauphine Stage Race Preview Guide.

This is a prestigious Tour de France preview race, or prelude, indeed a “mini-Tour de France” and it consists of 7 stages, and a 5.7km Prologue in Grenoble, covering some 1,050 kms over the Alps mountain range, for the most part. Morzine, stage 6, has been identified as the queen stage.

B. Wiggins 1.80

1st here, last year.

Confident contender, regarded as being in “the form of his life” and certainly deserving favouritism on paper. Indeed he is having a superlitive season so far by winning both Paris-Nice and the Tour de Romandie; and he’ll have aimed himself for a strong defence of this race with the strongest team yet assembled this season. He is also suited by the parcours, however with two steep climbs the very short odds justify the contention that he will have a lot of pressure, and may look for excuses. If he doesn’t win, expect a significant improvement in his odds for Le Tour. Worth the risk. Wait to see, at this stage.

C. Evans 8.00

2nd here, last year.

Is upbeat about his chances, however he hasn’t raced since a poor defence of the Tour de Romandie in April, where he finished in 29th place. Can win this race on best form but more likely he’ll use it as genuine preparation for Le Tour. Has been a runner-up on four occasions, here. Short odds. Perhaps a place. Take on trust.

T. Martin 8.00

37th here, last year.

Suffered an accident in April when hit by a car, suffering “fractures of the eye socket, cheekbone, jaw, shoulder blade and upper arm”. Nevertheless, he seems to have healed, having won the Ronde van België (Tour of Belgium), last start. Before that a 4th place finish in Eschborn-Frankfurt City Loop. Will be right up on top of the GC at some stage, but whether he’ll be climbing like a champion is the question? Should figure on or around the podium, but others are better value and have stronger claims. Discount.

L. Westra 16.00

113th here, last year.

2nd on GC in Ronde van België (BEL) and last start a 1st in Hengelo Criterium. Earlier, showed inspired form to finish 2nd overall at Paris-Nice. Handy type. Hard to have. Overlook.

J. Brajkovic 16.00

1st here, 2010.
9th here, last year.

Unimpressive effort to finish 9th on GC in Tour de Romandie. Needs to improve. Has the talent. Some value. Take on trust.

V. Nibali 19.00

7th here, 2009.

Will “ride his first race on French soil in almost three years”. He recently said, “The Dauphiné’s the best place to prepare for the Tour de France and my sole aim is to build my form for July”. And, that is the extent to which he has targeted this race. Has had a magnificent season so far, finishing:

5th on GC in Tour de San Luis.
2nd on GC in Tour of Oman.
1st on GC in Tirreno-Adriatico.
3rd in Milano-SanRemo.
8th in Waalse Pijl.
2nd in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Has to be respected. Sound EACH-WAY prospects. Fair value. Consider closely.

J. Van Den Broeck 26.00

4th here, last year.

GC form so far this season:

4th in Volta ao Algarve.
3rd in Volta Ciclista a Catalunya.
12th in Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco.

Later; an excellent result in Waalse Pijl with a 10th place finish. Good value. Excellent EACH-WAY claims. Consider very closely.

M. Rogers 26.00

GC form so far this season:

4th in Tour Down Under.
3rd in Critérium International.
21st in Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco.
5th in Tour de Romandie.
1st in Bayern Rundfahrt.

Has Aussie mongrel fight in spades. One of the main contenders. Odds unders. Warrants respect. Expect bold effort. Consider closely.

R. Porte 34.00

GC form so far this season:

1st in Volta ao Algarve.
68th in Paris-Nice.
4th in Tour de Romandie.
4th in Bayern Rundfahrt.

Unlikely to trouble the main contenders, at this stage. Overlook.

C. Froome 34.00

Loaded with talent, however since team-mate Wiggins is defending this race it’s likely that he’ll be acting as a domestique. Protected, he would have excellent claims for the win. Good value. Stays under notice. Take on trust.

T. Van Garderen 34.00

3rd here, 2010.

Exciting young talent from the USofA, who is being touted as a future Le Tour contender. 4th on GC in the recent Tour of California. Fair odds. Watch very closely. 

J. Coppel 34.00

5th here, 2010.
13th here, last year.

GC form so far this season:

1st in Etoile de Bessèges.
3rd in Vuelta a Andalucia.
11th in Paris-Nice.
12th in Tour de Romandie.
2nd in Bayern Rundfahrt.

Good value. Fine form. Stays under notice.

P. Rolland 51.00

18th here, last year.

Excellent young talent from France, who is lightly raced so far this season – his best results being a 4th on GC in Etoile de Bessèges, and a 12th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Can go close. Worthy of consideration.

A. Vinokourov 51.00

3rd here, last year.

Grandad of the peloton who should be in retirement at this stage of his career, but continues to plug away as evidenced by his podium result, last year. Good odds. Take on trust.

A. Talansky 51.00

Talented young rider from the USofA. Has claims after an 8th place finish on GC in Volta ao Algarve at the start of the season, and later an impressive 2nd place finish on GC in the Tour de Romandie. Then, last start; was an unimpressive 41st in the Tour of California. Fair value. Worthy of some consideration on an EACH-WAY basis.

T. Voeckler 51.00

10th here, last year.

Good one-day classics form earlier this season, but not much to speak about since then, except for a 5th place finish on GC in Quatre jours de Dunkerque. Highly over-rated and petulant, he will need a lot luck to win this. Good value. Marginal prospect. Take on trust.

A. Schleck 51.00

Missing in action so far this season, so not much form to speak about. Very good value. Has to be respected, however others present with better credentials, at this stage. Take on trust.

S. Chavanel 51.00

Fair start to the season with a 9th place finish on GC in Tour de San Luis, 15th on GC in Tour of Oman, 8th on GC in Paris-Nice. Then; 2nd in Dwars door Vlaanderen, 1st on GC in Driedaagse van De Panne, 10th in Ronde van Vlaanderen, and 27th in Paris-Roubaix.

Whilst Sylvain has been training at high-altitude, he’ll likely show up only to try and claim a stage win. Ignore.

D. Menchov 51.00

“Has recovered from the tendonitis which affected him recently”. So far this season; an 11th place finish on GC in Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, and a 4th on GC in Vuelta a Andalucia. Fair value. One of the main contenders. Worthy of consideration.

C. Kern 51.00

6th here, last year.

Presents here with many question marks. Take on trust.

J.J. Cobo 51.00

Excellent climber without much form to speak about so far this season. Good value. Can give this a good shake on last year’s Vuelta-winning form. Take on trust.

S. Sanchez 81.00

17th here, last year.

GC form so far this season:

6th in Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia.
2nd in Volta Ciclista a Catalunya.
1st in Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco.

Then; two 7th place finishes in Amstel Gold Race, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Unlikely to make up enough time climbing to balance out the time lost in the time-trials to the all-round contenders. Take on trust.

R. Taaramae 81.00

45th here, last year.

Best results so far this season on GC, come with a 3rd in Etoile de Bessèges, and a 2nd in Vuelta a Andalucia. Can improve on his 45th place finish here, last year. Hard to have, at this stage. Overlook.

T. Machado 81.00

GC form so far this season:

3rd in Tour Down Under.
6th in Volta ao Algarve.
5th in Vuelta Castilla y Leon.
15th in Tour de Romandie.
9th in Tour of California.

Definite claims for a podium position. Fair value. Keep safe.

J.C. Peraud 81.00

7th here, last year.

Best results so far this season on GC, come with an 11th place finish in Critérium International, and a 7th place finish in Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco. Hard to discount lightly. Take on trust.

C. Riblon 81.00

51st here, last year.

GC form so far this season:

9th in Tirreno-Adriatico.
10th in Critérium International.
18th in Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco.

Not in this. Ignore.

L.L. Sanchez 81.00

44th here, last year.

Best results so far this season on GC, come with a 17th place finish in Paris-Nice, 10th place finish in Tour de Romandie, and a last start 21st place finish in Tour of California. Poor value. Not racing well enough. Ignore.

V. Kiryienka 151.00

Lightly raced. Hard to have. Ratings too poor. Ignore.

W. Kelderman 151.00

Talented young rider from the Netherlands, who comes into this with a 7th place finish on GC in the Tour of California, last start. Take on trust.

D. Zabriskie 151.00

79th here, last year.

Comes into this on the back of his 2nd place finish on GC in the Tour of California. Not doing enough to win here. Overlook.

D. Millar 151.00

12th on GC in Bayern Rundfahrt, last start. No value. Won’t win this on a motorized scooter. Ignore.

D. Martin 151.00

33rd here, last year.

So far this season:

4th on GC in Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, then a 6th in Waalse Pijl, a 5th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and a 14th place finish on GC in the Tour de Romandie. Marginal prospect. Take on trust.

S. Devolder 151.00

His best result so far this season is an 8th place finish on GC in Driedaagse van De Panne. No value. Ignore.

D. Moncoutie 151.00

12th here, last year.

Best results so far this season come with a 6th on GC in Vuelta Ciclista a la Comunidad de Madrid, and a 7th on GC in Rhône-Alpes Isère Tour. No value. Odds way unders. Unsuited here, at this stage. Ignore.

E. Boasson Hagen 201.00

55th here, last year.

Comes into this on the back of his 1st place finish on GC in his (home) Tour of Norway. This will be a class above him. No. Ignore.

H. Zubeldia 201.00

50th here, last year.

Comes into this on the back of his 10th place finish on GC in Bayern Rundfahrt. Not here. Ignore.

A. Kashechkin 201.00

3rd here, 2007.

Not much form to speak about. Odds way unders. Ignore.

P. Weening 201.00

Comes into this on the back of his 10th place finish on GC in the Tour of California. Not here. Ignore.

N. Quintana 251.00

Good young Colombian climber, whose best results so far this season come with a 1st place finish on GC in Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia, and a 2nd place finish on GC in Vuelta Ciclista a la Comunidad de Madrid. May surprise with a bold showing. Take on trust.

K. Sivtsov 251.00

8th here, last year.

Comes into this with a 5th place finish on GC in Bayern Rundfahrt. Marginal prospect. Odds about right. Take on trust.

D. Navarro 251.00

Unknown proposition. Market best guide.

D. Arroyo 351.00

Not much form to speak about. Market best guide.

S. Gerrans 351.00

105th here, last year.

Ignore.

S. Morabito 351.00

39th here, last year.

Not the worst, here. Take on trust.

R. Plaza 351.00

Not even on a motorized scooter. Ignore.

J. Vandendert 351.00

77th here, last year.

Unsuited. Overlook.

A. Jeanneson 351.00

69th here, last year.

Not in this. Ignore.

C. Le Mevel 351.00

Not racing well enough to show up here. Ignore.

D. Moreno 351.00

Heavily-raced so far this season – some of the races/results:

17th on GC in Tirreno-Adriatico.
1st in GP Miguel Indurain.
23rd on GC in Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco.
17th in Amstel Gold Race.
24th in Waalse Pijl.
13th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
20th on GC in Giro d’Italia.

Hard to have. Take on trust.

R. Nocentini 351.00

So far this season, on GC:

9th in Tour Méditerranéen.
4th in Tirreno-Adriatico.
5th in Critérium International.

Then:

9th in Amstel Gold Race.
12th in Waalse Pijl.
11th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Last start:

21st on GC in Tour de Romandie.

Not the worst here. Good value. Consider some. 

C. Barredo 351.00

Comes into this on the back of his 3rd place finish on GC in Ronde van België. Lightly-raced. Has some claims for an EACH-WAY result at juicy odds. Consider.

My selections:

1.) J. Van Den Broeck.

2.) M. Rogers.

3.) T. Van Garderen.

Roughie:) C. Barredo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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